Latest news with #JanelleMonae
Washington Post
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Washington Post
Janelle Monáe hopes to ‘be a refuge' during her WorldPride show
As a child, Janelle Monáe had nightmares about two people: Grace Jones and Prince. 'I'll never forget it,' the singer says. 'Prince was chasing me in a purple suit, and Grace Jones was just laughing hysterically.' In time Monáe would become both a friend and an artistic heir to the two iconic musicians, each untethered by conventions of genre and gender and each capable of alchemizing androgyny and Afrofuturism into new forms. But it wasn't until adulthood that she understood the nightmare obscured a dream.
Vogue
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Vogue
Thom Browne Pre-Fall 2025 Collection
Did anybody have as big a night at the Met Gala as Thom Browne? The designer dressed 21 guests in one-off creations—Demi Moore, Zoe Saldana, Lorde, Janelle Monae, and Nicki Minaj, among them. 'It's almost like a mini couture collection,' Browne said a few days after the festivities. We were Zooming about pre-fall, an offering that encompasses the other end of his business: the essential Thom Browne. Like the fall collection, which was shown back in February but will arrive in stores, including new outposts in Palm Beach and Los Angeles, after this one, pre-fall emphasizes the wearability of Browne's clothes. At the Met, Moore donned a sculptural gown in the shape of a men's striped necktie, the loop creating a dramatic frame for her face. Here, the focus is on precise tailoring and proportion play in a range of fabrications—less high-concept, more classic. 'The most important thing is for people to see that the collection and the business are evolving in the strongest way—to not take away from what people have always appreciated about my collections,' he explained. The mesh basketball jerseys, number 65 for Browne's birth year 1965, are cashmere, he pointed out. 'I really feel like the tailoring could be sportswear as much as the sportswear can be tailoring,' he added. Browne has dressed his share of basketballers, but tennis and golf are clear references here, and deck shoes and duck boots are in the mix, as well. Expanding his accessories category is part of the brand growth strategy. The most interesting development in this regard is the addition of unstructured styles, like the new versions of the Mr. and Mrs. Thom bags in distressed leather. That's not to say Browne's exacting vision has slackened. Those who wear his clothes like a uniform will recognize themselves in this collection. But pieces like a suede 'jean jacket' and a work shirt in mohair tweed suggest a new softness that could entice new customers into his exclusive fold.
Vogue
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Vogue
Thom Browne Pre-Fall 2025 Menswear Collection
Did anybody have as big a night at the Met Gala as Thom Browne? The designer dressed 21 guests in one-off creations—Demi Moore, Zoe Saldana, Lorde, Janelle Monae, and Nicki Minaj, among them. 'It's almost like a mini couture collection,' Browne said a few days after the festivities. We were Zooming about pre-fall, an offering that encompasses the other end of his business: the essential Thom Browne. Like the fall collection, which was shown back in February but will arrive in stores, including new outposts in Palm Beach and Los Angeles, after this one, pre-fall emphasizes the wearability of Browne's clothes. At the Met, Moore donned a sculptural gown in the shape of a men's striped necktie, the loop creating a dramatic frame for her face. Here, the focus is on precise tailoring and proportion play in a range of fabrications—less high-concept, more classic. 'The most important thing is for people to see that the collection and the business are evolving in the strongest way—to not take away from what people have always appreciated about my collections,' he explained. The mesh basketball jerseys, number 65 for Browne's birth year 1965, are cashmere, he pointed out. 'I really feel like the tailoring could be sportswear as much as the sportswear can be tailoring,' he added. Browne has dressed his share of basketballers, but tennis and golf are clear references here, and deck shoes and duck boots are in the mix, as well. Expanding his accessories category is part of the brand growth strategy. The most interesting development in this regard is the addition of unstructured styles, like the new versions of the Mr. and Mrs. Thom bags in distressed leather. That's not to say Browne's exacting vision has slackened. Those who wear his clothes like a uniform will recognize themselves in this collection. But pieces like a suede 'jean jacket' and a work shirt in mohair tweed suggest a new softness that could entice new customers into his exclusive fold.
Daily Mail
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Janelle Monae bares her breasts as raunchy singer joins Bebe Rexha and Coco Rocha at no-holds barred Met Gala after-party in New York
The theme may well have been fashion enslavement, but the chains were clearly broken as a host of celebrities let loose at the PUBLIC hotel in New York City on Monday evening. Just hours after turning heads at the annual Met Gala, those in possession of the hottest ticket in town were attracting further attention at the extravagant Chrystie Street venue. Playing host to the risquest after-party of the night, the Ian Schrager owned PUBLIC welcomed stars including Janelle Monae, Bebe Rexha and Coco Rocha for an exclusive, cocktail-fuelled celebration. Deemed the Oscars of the East Coast, the Met Gala sees some of the biggest stars descend on the iconic The Metropolitan Museum of Art for the annual charity event. Teyana Taylor, La La Anthony and Ego Nwodim hosted the Vogue livestream, with Emma Chamberlain tasked with doing interviews on the blue carpet. This year was also the first Met Gala in more than 20 years to have a menswear theme, with the focus being Superfine: Tailoring Black Style. The gala was also being hosted by a group of Black male celebrities, including Williams, the musical artist and Louis Vuitton menswear director, and Lewis Hamilton, Colman Domingo, and A$AP Rocky named as co-chairs. LeBron James, who was named an honorary chair, previously announced that he will miss the gala due to the knee injury he suffered in the Lakers' season-ending loss to the Timberwolves during Game 5 of their first-round playoff series last Wednesday. As this year's honorary chair, the NBA 's all-time leading scorer shared that his wife, Savannah James, will attend in his place. 'Unfortunately because of my knee injury I sustained at the end of the season I won't be able to attend the Met Gala in NY tonight as so many people have been asking and congratulating me on!' James, 40, wrote on X, just hours before the Met Gala red carpet event. They were joined by Vogue's Anna Wintour, the mastermind behind the gala, considered the year's biggest and starriest party. The A-list lineup was packed with stars like Rihanna, Sydney Sweeney, Hailey Bieber, Zendaya, Anne Hathaway, Tracee Ellis Ross, and Cynthia Erivo. Bad Bunny, Donatella Versace, Vera Wang, Usher, Kerry Washington, Jeremy Allen White, and Suki Waterhouse were also on the guest list. The gala raises the bulk of the curation budget for the museum's Costume Institute. This year, it's about tailoring and suiting as interpreted through the history and meaning of Black dandyism across the Atlantic diaspora. The theme is inspired by the annual spring exhibition, which this year is based in large part on Slaves to Fashion: Black Dandyism and the Styling of Black Diasporic Identity, a book written by Monica L. Miller. She is guest curator of the exhibit. 'Historical manifestations of dandyism range from absolute precision in dress and tailoring to flamboyance and fabulousness in dress and style,' Miller writes in the exhibit catalog. 'Whether a dandy is subtle or spectacular, we recognize and respect the deliberateness of the dress, the self-conscious display, the reach for tailored perfection, and the sometimes subversive self-expression.' Just days before the fundraiser, Sarah Jessica Parker, left fans stunned as she, sadly, confirmed she would not be attending due to a scheduling conflict. 'I have to work,' the Sex and The City star told Entertainment Tonight. 'But there's going to be so much to see, and I look forward to seeing what everybody does and how they interpret the theme and the homework they did for the assignment. A very joyful assignment.' While speaking about fashion's biggest night, the Golden Globe winner continued: 'I care a lot about it and I want to try to honor the work of the curators and everybody who sort of inspired this moment for those of us who get to attend.' Despite a string of showstopping looks, Jennifer Lopez also skipped this year's gala, with learning that the star was busy working on her new film, Office Romance. The exhibit, Superfine: Tailoring Black Style, draws on other sources beyond Miller's book. It's organised into 12 sections. Each symbolises a characteristic of dandy style as defined by Zora Neale Hurston in her 1934 essay, Characteristics of Negro Expression. The guest list amounts to about 450 high-profile people from tech, sports, art, entertainment and more.
New York Post
04-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Power suits, tuxedo mini dresses — and, inevitably, plenty of skin: Fashion experts predict what women will wear for Monday's Met Gala
For the last decade, no matter the theme — flamboyant 'Camp,' 'Heavenly Bodies,' 'Manus x Machina' — many ladies at the Metropolitan Museum's annual Costume Institute Ball (aka the Met Gala) have displayed more skin than fabric. Emily Ratajkowski, Janelle Monae, Kim Kardashian, Lily James, Zoe Kravitz, Amanda Seyfried, Kendall Jenner, Lady Gaga and Jennifer Lopez have all donned such sheer gowns they could have swooped in from the Victoria's Secret runway. Last year's 'Garden of Time' theme inspired the singer Tyla to don a Balmain dress made of sand. Only sand. 8 'I'd love to see some actress revive that backwards Dior suit Celine Dion wore to the Oscars in 1999!' said Parsons professor Vincent Boucher. Getty Images The theme for Monday's Met Gala is 'Superfine: Tailoring Black Style' (with a dress code of 'Tailored for You'), based around the history of the black dandy, and head honcho Anna Wintour has tapped an all-male lineup to chair the event: Colman Domingo, ASAP Rocky, Pharrell Williams and Lewis Hamilton. Some wags have worried the theme could prove problematic — either because of a risk of committing cultural appropriation or because of the menswear remit. After all, there are only so many vintage Yves Saint Laurent 'Le Smoking' tuxes to go around. But, in truth, the timing couldn't be better. 8 Model Kai Schreiber — the child of Naomi Watts and Liev Schreiber — recently walked the Valentino runway and was spotted in a daring blue double-breasted suit. BACKGRID 'At Paris Fashion Week [in March], the power suit for women was the big news,' author and red carpet expert Bronwyn Cosgrave told The Post. 'Men's fashion is having such a moment, with new style icons like Pharrell Williams, Timothée Chalamet and Colman Domingo, it had to affect womenswear. Plus, breaking out ball gowns in the current world economic situation seems inappropriate.' Fabulous options include Saint Laurent's big-shoulder numbers worn with ties, Haider Ackermann's sleek seductive suits for Tom Ford and Thom Browne's impeccable suiting favored by Janelle Monae and Doecchi. Nick Wooster, a menswear creative consultant, pictures female stars finally turning against the gala's earliest sexy stereotype: Cher's 1974 Bob Mackie naked dress. 8 Doechii rolled up to the Grammys in a Thom Browne suiting look. FilmMagic 8 Eiza González donned a modern gray suit for Thom Browne's NY Fashion Week show in February. / BACKGRID 'If there's ever been a moment of stylish women to be decked out in menswear, this is it,' said Wooster. 'The Met's the perfect venue to show off the imagination happening in modern menswear. Women will be so comfortable, they won't want to go back!' Celeb stylist and THR artistic director Alison Edmond loves 'the idea of the ladies going down the masculine route — a collared shirt and silk tie finished with a bowler or chic top hat, and heels … it can be very sexy if worn by the right celebrity. I'd be excited to see classic British menswear tailors like Ozwald Boateng or Dunhill suiting up the women ascending the Met stairs.' Parsons professor of fashion journalism Vincent Boucher has a starrier vision: 'I'd love to see some actress revive that backwards Dior suit Céline Dion wore to the Oscars in 1999! With the tilted white hat? 8 Dramatic suits were on display at Tom Ford's Paris Fashion Week show in March. Getty Images for TOM FORD 8 Saint Laurent also showed exaggerated menswear for women last September in Paris. WWD via Getty Images 'Women can really play with the dandy theme, even if it's all traditional black and white. Valentino couture was filled with sharp cuts mixed with frills. And no doubt someone will have a great Sarah Burton Givenchy moment — those tux jacket mini dresses!' The Post has heard rumors that Zac Posen is whipping up a custom GapStudio look inspired by 17th-century silhouettes and romantic poets for one lucky lady: a suit … with a train? 8 Could female stars finally turn against the Met Gala's earliest sexy stereotype — Cher's 1974 Bob Mackie naked dress? Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images 8 Menswear theme or no, Melissa Rivers predicted: 'Still, somebody will always do skin. It's Met Ball tradition.' Emily Ratajkowski showed plenty last year. Getty Images 'My hope is, we'll see highlights from female fashion history — [from] Edwardian and Victorian shapes to Chanel's first tweed suit in 1923, to Dior's New Look jackets,' said red carpet expert Melissa Rivers. 'But I do think this year men are finally going to steal the show. They've been building up to it for years. 'Still, somebody will always do skin. It's Met Ball tradition.'
